10 February 2004	Tuesday	18 Zilhaj 1424

LONDON, Feb 9: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's 99th Premiership goal was good enough to give Chelsea a 1-0 win over London rivals Charlton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday that kept their Premiership title challenge alive. Hasselbaink's first-half penalty ensured that Chelsea remained third, four points behind champions Manchester United and six adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Defeat for Charlton meant Alan Curbishley's men missed out on the chance to regain the fourth and last Champions League place after Newcastle's win over Leicester on Saturday. But if Chelsea's Romania striker Adrian Mutu had converted several chances in the closing minutes the result would have been far more comfortable for Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich's expensively assembled side.

Afterwards Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri, again the subject of speculation this week that he was to be replaced by England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, was relieved after seeing his side without several first-team regulars clinch all the points. But reflecting on the result, the Italian added: "We are in the race. Every match is a must-win game because Manchester (United) and Arsenal are used to the run."

Chelsea's recently signed ex-Charlton midfielder Scott Parker was not allowed to play against his old club as part of the deal that saw the England international move across London for 10 million pounds.

Charlton are at home to Tottenham on Wednesday with Chelsea away to struggling Portsmouth. Jesper Gronkjaer almost opened the scoring in the fifth minute when his dipping effort beat Charlton keeper Dean Kiely only to strike the crossbar.

But the Dane was booked shortly after his fine effort for diving after throwing himself over South Africa defender Mark Fish's leg. At the other end, Scotland international Neil Sullivan, playing in place of Cudicini, had to react smartly to save at Johansson's feet. However, Chelsea eventually opened the scoring in the 28th minute. Fish, who had appeared fortunate not to concede a penalty moments earlier when he pushed Mutu, received no such leniency from referee Steve Bennett when he tangled with Hasselbaink even though the forward appeared to be backing into the Charlton player.

Hasselbaink, ignoring Charlton's protests, got up and then sent Kiely the wrong way from the spot for his 99th Premiership goal, 65 of those for Chelsea and 34 for Leeds.

Before half-time Chelsea's former West Ham defender Glen Johnson almost made it 2-0, his shot from a tight angle hitting the side netting. Hasselbaink missed a chance for his 100th league goal when he failed to get over the top of a bouncing ball in the 63rd minute.

Chelsea defender Robert Huth was lucky not to put through his own net when his volley went behind for a corner from which Charlton's Matt Holland headed wide. At the other end Mutu saw four chances inside the final 10 minutes come to nothing.

He was, not for the first time this season, guilty of over-elaboration when, after delaying his strike from the right edge of the box, he shot wide. But in the 84th minute Mutu, after being gifted possession by Fish's carelessness, saw his shot from inside the box bounce back off the angle of post and bar.

He then shot straight at Kiely after substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen squared the ball to him on the edge of the six yard box where, with the goal at his mercy, his sidefoot strike was somehow parried over the bar by the former Republic of Ireland keeper. -Reuters